Adopt a School Projects - 2007

Career Advice Australia introduced Adopt a School projects in 2006 with the aim of developing more effective grassroots partnerships between schools and local businesses for the benefit of students, schools, industry, business and the local community.

Local Community Partnerships are responsible for facilitating engagement between industry and schools. Projects are designed to provide a hands-on learning experience in a specific industry area, preferably an area of skill shortage within the local community or local region. Industry skills can be developed during the project with student competencies showing significant improvement with industry mentor’s assistance.

Adopt a School projects must have a planned start and finish date; be aimed at a specific group of students and have a finished product which can be celebrated at the conclusion of the project.

In 2007, our Local Community Partnership has celebrated the success of two important Adopt a School projects:the Murray River Culinary Challenge and the Tractor Pulling Lawn Mowers.

The Murray River Culinary Challenge involved all schools in our service region. Students completing VET Hospitality in Years 11 and 12 participated in school level competitions during July. Each school subsequently selected two students to represent them at regional competitions. At the grand final, held in Echuca, our region was well represented by Deniliquin High School students Felicia Russell and Jason Dean. Although our students did not win the grand final, the experiences gained at all levels of competition have provided a very valuable insight into the Hospitality industry.Our LCP worked collaboratively with 4 Victorian Local Community Partnerships to complete this industry supported project.

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Tractor Pulling Lawn Mowers were produced by Year 10 students of Finley High School during their TAFE Stage 5 VET Program. Students received training in automotive and welding skills at Deniliquin TAFE campus; written and mathematical skills were developed at the Finley TAFE campus. The boys involved worked on mowers which had been donated; parts and expertise were provided by industry mentors and businesses across the region.

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The concept of tractor pulling mowers was the brainchild of SRPLCP committee member Joe Cottam. The project was supported by SRPLCP and Department of Education and Training.

Mowers had “their real test” at the tractor pulling events at the Deniliquin Ute Muster. Mowers will be stored at TAFE for further fine tuning prior to competition in 2008.